Magical Writing In Manhattan
by Riley-Mae Nyxinn
Summary: 5 New York girls to hang out with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Seamus at Hogwarts and also help them solve the biggest mystery since Harry's scar. (This story's genre is also humor...they only allowed 2) R&R please!
1. Writers' Promise

I, as the writer of this story, have a little to say about this story to get things straight.  
  
To all my friends that know that when I write I mostly base the characters on us: This time around I haven't although it does seem like it. With 5 best friends and all. But, try not to think of it like that. It's just a story that is not based on us in general.  
  
To everyone that I don't personally know: This is, I would say, at least the 100th story that I've written that I am proud enough with to create on this website. I hope that you like it.  
  
Read and review please!  
  
Riley-Mae Nyxinn 


	2. 01 Just Walk Through the Rotating Doors

Riley slammed the door behind her of her Manhattan, 3-story penthouse and ran across the street in an Addidas sport shirt and a pair of running shorts that had a yellowish type of paper hanging out of them to her best friend, Leilani's, penthouse. She didn't even bother to knock on the front door. Instead she ran down the side of the building to the back and stopped right underneath the fire escape ladders. She jumped up to try and grab it, but missed. She bended her knees a second time and even screamed as she jumped up and miraculously got hold of the bottom of the ladder. Her weight pulled down the ladder and her strong arms pulled her up until her feet could get hold of the lowest pole to climb up. As she made the first landing she made sure to be very quiet so not to wake Leilani's parents. Quietly she climbed up the next two landings making no noise at all until she got to Leilani's balcony. She hurriedly jogged up to her sliding door and knocked like a madman until her friend got up and slid the door open saying---  
  
"Riley! What's wrong with you?! It's 8:30 in the morning and mind you it is summer!" Leilani croaked in a just-woke-up voice.  
  
"You won't believe it!" Riley said ignoring her friends' comments on the unwanted wake-up call.  
  
"Ugh."Leilani said annoyed of her best friend.  
  
Riley ran over to Leilani's bed and pulled out the yellow pieces of parchment from her back pocket. She rummaged through them and even though they all looked the same she gave a specific one to Leilani as she mopped over to her bed.  
  
"Open it! Open it! Open it!" Riley demanded, squealing helplessly.  
  
"Alright! Calm down!" Leilani said through gritted teeth. Riley immediately stopped the squealing but couldn't refrain from jumping up and down still in sitting position.  
  
She watched anxiously as Leilani opened the parchment, which was address in emerald ink. She pulled out another parchment that was of the same yellowish character and read what was written on it. Leilani's eyes widened as she read further and further on. When she finished she put down the letter slowly on her lap still holding onto and looked up at nothing.  
  
"And look at all of the supplies that we're getting! Quills and ink, dress robes, cool titled books, and the best part, WANDS!" Riley said finally getting up from her seat and jumping around the room. It took her awhile to notice that her friend didn't seem too happy about it as she was. She sat down next to her and put her arm around her comfortingly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Riley asked finally calm.  
  
All Leilani could get out was sigh.  
  
"Come on Lei. It'll be fun. And look." Riley said as she pulled out the other pieces of parchment identical to Leilani and her own. "Tara, Jhene, and Becky are accepted too!"  
  
Leilani turned to her friend and smiled.  
  
"You always look at the good side of things first before you realize what bad comes out of it." Leilani managed to say.  
  
"What do you mean? This is awesome!" Riley said.  
  
"What about school? I know you're going to miss Jefferson Ri. And what about Ms. Minogue? What are we going to do without our performing arts teacher? And what about New York? We love New York; and you definitely love it more than me. 9 months without it will be hard." Leilani said calmly setting out the cons of going to this Hogwarts.  
  
"Oh.yeah." Riley said innocently.  
  
"I really like this place Ri. And I really want to go. But, there's so much to miss." Leilani said with grief.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Are you serious?" Jhene said her head darting forward in order to hear clearly thinking that she wasn't.  
  
"I'm serious." Riley replied giggling a little at how weird Jhene's head looked at the moment.  
  
"I don't get it. Where is this place?" Tara said walking from the other side of her room.  
  
"I think it's in England somewhere. Or Scotland." Leilani said.  
  
"The question is: Are we going?" Becky said knowledgeably.  
  
"That's why Riley and I called you all to meet here at Tara's. We didn't know if we should or not. What're we going to do?" Leilani said unknowingly.  
  
"I say we go." Tara said. No one said anything about Tara's suggestion. She always was the one to take on a challenge. And considering their position, this was a big challenge.  
  
Riley broke the silence not too long after.  
  
"Me too." She said.  
  
"If Riley's going I'm going." Jhene said honestly. Leilani and Becky looked at each other and had a silent agreement.  
  
"Okay." Becky said.  
  
"Yeah. I'm in." Leilani said without a choice. She couldn't really bare it without her 4 best friends gone a whole 3 seasons.  
  
"But, we're definitely coming back on holidays. I can't bare to not see New York white with powder." Riley said independently.  
  
"Definitely." The 4 answered in an imperfect unison.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"You knew and you never told us?!" Tara complained to her parents.  
  
The girls had decided to gather up their parents to tell them to the news. But, miraculously, ---  
  
"Yes. We knew." Mr. Turner, Tara's dad, said to the girls.  
  
"But." Leilani said starting to complain again.  
  
"We're going to have to send you to Knax Square." Mrs. Nyxinn, Riley's mom, said ignoring the girls' curiosity.  
  
"Knax Square?" they all said, brows furrowed.  
  
"Diagon Alley is all the way in London and that's way too far for just school supplies." Mrs. Nyxinn said confusing the girls further. "There's a Square here in New York for all that stuff. It's down by Wall Street."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky all stood dumbfounded in front of the Wall Street Journal building with Mrs. Nyxinn.  
  
"Knax Square." Mrs. Nyxinn said, raising her hands to the template that read "The Wall Street Journal." People passing looked at her oddly; but in New York, there was enough weirdoes to just ignore the whole scene. "Now just walk through the rotating doors. It's that easy."  
  
The girls' odd gazes all turned away from Mrs. Nyxinn's clam face and to the rotating doors ahead.  
  
"Excuse me! Can I get through?!" an angry New Yorker businessman said behind them. "Hurry up now." Mrs. Nyxinn said as she nudged the back of her daughter.  
  
The girls all walked into the rotating doors and the businessman followed behind them.  
  
"Whoa!" they all said as they entered Knax Square.  
  
"Where'd they go?" the businessman said back at the Wall Street Journal building bewildered. 


	3. 02 Knax Square

Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky stood with amazed looks painted on their faces. Knax Square was sitting right in front of them with all of its magnificence and splendor. It was a friendly little, village looking Square with many people of all ages dressed in odd cloaks of various colors.  
  
"Okay. Here's your money sacks. One for each of you. Have fun!" Mrs. Nyxinn said and with a pop! she was gone.  
  
The girls stood bewildered for a moment until they were interrupted by a very familiar, snotty voice.  
  
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the five losers." Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky turned their heads away from the amazing site to the person the voice belonged to on their right.  
  
"Julienne!" Riley said in a confused, loud voice.  
  
"What're you doing here?!" Jhene said dogging Julienne without hesitation and with complete hatred.  
  
"I'm here getting my school supplies for Hogwarts. I was accepted just recently." Julienne said in a very high-pitched voice.  
  
"That's nice Julienne. Now if you don't mind we were just heading in to get ours. Good-bye now!" Leilani said in an annoyed voice.  
  
Leilani started walking down the crowded street not knowing exactly where she was going. The 4 girls just followed her without question. She stopped in front of an ice cream Shoppe and sat down at a table in front.  
  
"I can't believe she's going to Hogwarts too!" Leilani said in disbelief. "There is no way I'm going now. NO WAY!"  
  
"Come on Lei. It won't be that bad." Riley said trying to cheer her up.  
  
"Yeah. I mean, we could just ignore her like we always do at school." Becky suggested.  
  
"Look at it this way Lei: Over at this Hogwarts there's probably going to be plenty of people who have British accents, right? Maybe we could develop them over the years? I'm sure there's more than one at Hogwarts." Tara said remembering Leilani's fancy over British accents. "And you know how bad Julienne is at them. So you could prove her right any time."  
  
Leilani smiled at her friends. They were always there for her no matter what and she appreciated it on all matters.  
  
"Look! There's the bookstore. Flourish and Blotts it's called. Let's go and get our books. I can't wait to read them." Riley said starting to jump up and down with happiness again.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Riley lifted her bag full of books up and down with her arm wondering how it could be so feather light with all those heavy books in it.  
  
"Guess it is magic." Riley said to herself. She sat down on the table her friends were situated at.  
  
"So, what's next?" Jhene asked looking at her list. "We have all of our course books."  
  
UNIFORM First-year students will require: Three sets of plain work robes (black) One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar) One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings) Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags  
  
COURSE BOOKS All students should have a copy of each of the following: The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
by Miranda Goshawk A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch One Thousand Magic Herbs and Fungi  
by Phyllida Spore Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
by Newt Scamander The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection  
by Quentin Trimble  
  
OTHER EQUIPTMENT  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set of glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
  
"Hey! I didn't see that there before!" Jhene said aloud.  
  
"See what?" Riley asked.  
  
"It says we're not allowed to have our own broomsticks." Jhene said still looking at her supply list.  
  
They all took out their own supply list and groaned when they read it.  
  
"Well that sucks." Riley said. "I was looking forward to that."  
  
"Yeah, same here." Becky said sadly.  
  
"I guess we're going to have to deal with it. Well, let's go and get some pens and stuff to write with."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
When the girls got to the supply shop they didn't find "pens and stuff", instead they found quills and ink bottles. There were all different kinds: black ink, blue, red, purple, and even ones that changed colors while you wrote. They all got one of each color ink not even bothering to see if they had enough money.  
  
"Hey! Check it out!" Riley said from the other side of the shelf. All the girls hurried over.  
  
"Sugar Quills! You suck on them during class so that it looks like your thinking hard on something when you're really licking on a delicious taste." Riley said to them.  
  
"Cool!" they all said in a familiar imperfect unison.  
  
They all took two boxes each to use when they were in class.  
  
As the girls were picking out which quills to buy (In the end they really didn't choose one so they got one of each one they fancied.) they heard a very irritated voice flowing into the store's atmosphere.  
  
"Come on Fred! Stop it! Go away George!" the voice complained.  
  
"Come on Ronnekins!" another voice said; obviously the Fred or George the first voice was referring to.  
  
"You guys are such dumb gits! Can you do anything else but joke around?!" the first voice said.  
  
"I don't believe we're capable of that, Ronnekins." Another voice said similar to the second one.  
  
"Just go away. I'm going to get my quills and ink. Think you could leave me alone?" the first voice said as he walked into the store, eyes narrow obviously still annoyed. The young boy, who now the girls could see had magnificent red hair, walked into the store followed by another set of redheads. The two elder boys were made obvious to be twins to the girls and then they realized the younger one was their brother. They all stopped when they saw the girls looking at them with confused faces. One of the twins nudged their younger brother after a good 30 seconds of just staring.  
  
"Er.hi. I'm Ron." He said nervously sticking a hand out to Riley who shook it looking at him a little weird.  
  
"I'm Riley. This is Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky." She said introducing each of her friends.  
  
Ron just stared.  
  
"Are you okay?" Leilani asked giggling silently but still audibly.  
  
"Er.yeah." Ron said shaking his head. "This is Fred and George."  
  
"Hi!"  
  
"Hello!"  
  
"It's not really a good thing to get acquainted with them." Ron complained.  
  
"Ronnekins is just saying that because.umph!" Fred tried to say but Ron nudged him in the stomach before he could finish.  
  
"I was just going to get my supplies. Er.nice meeting you." Ron said wondering why all of the girls were smiling at him oddly.  
  
"Er.Ron?" Riley said starting to laugh.  
  
"What?" Ron said his brow starting to rise.  
  
The girls laughed as they watched Fred and George sprinkle some kind of sparkly dust in to Ron's hair and then watch it turn different colors.  
  
When Ron realized what was happening he turned to see his reflection in a nearby window.  
  
"FRED! GEORGE!" he said as he turned around but his brothers had already ran for their lives. Ron groaned loudly in annoyance.  
  
"Ronald Weasley! What have you done to your hair?!" a very stoutly, middle- aged, redhead woman said and she pulled out her wand from under her cloak and muttered something under breath while pointing to Ron's head.  
  
"Thanks Mum. It was Fred and George!" Ron complained.  
  
"Alright, alright. It's fine now. Stop complaining." The woman said. "Hello there dears. Who are these young ladies Ron?"  
  
"Er.Mum this is Riley, er.Lei.Leila."  
  
"Leilani." Leilani said smiling.  
  
"Yeah. Er.that's."  
  
"Tara."  
  
"Jhene."  
  
"Becky." They all said.  
  
"Yeah. I knew that." Ron said. The girls all giggled.  
  
"Well, hello ladies. I'm Mrs. Weasley. I hope Ronald here hasn't caused any trouble." Mrs. Weasley said, arms on her hips looking at her son.  
  
"No. He hasn't." Riley said grinning happily.  
  
"Well, Ron I have to go and get your dress robes. You be good. Understood?" Mrs. Weasley said firmly.  
  
"Yes, Mum." Ron said a little embarrassed.  
  
"Nice meeting you ladies. Good-bye now." Mrs. Weasley said changing her attitude when she spoke to the girls.  
  
"Bye!" they all said finally have a perfect unison for the first time that day.  
  
"Er.I'm just going to go and get my quills and ink." Ron said after his mom left darting out of sight into the aisles.  
  
"That was quite funny." Riley said with a low voice.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"What do you mean you're going to another school for witches?! When did you turn into a witch?!" Talia said through the receiver of the phone.  
  
"I never knew until today, okay? My mom just broke it to me. I really want to stay here Talia. I do! It's just I have a feeling if I tell my parents I don't want to they'll send me to Hogwarts anyways. Plus, you know that there were always those weird experiences always happening. I'm surprised none of us understood them." Riley said to her friend over the phone.  
  
"Well, then, I guess I'm happy for you. But, promise you'll keep in touch. There's only 1 more month of summer left." Talia made her friend promise.  
  
"Promise. But, mind you, I think you'll be getting my mail by owl post. We all had to buy owls while we were at that Knax Square place. It's supposed to be our communication." Riley warned.  
  
"Alright. As if there's nothing weirder in New York." Talia agreed.  
  
"Yeah. Anyways, I have to go and get all of my stuff ready. Plus, I want to look through it all. It's actually really interesting." Riley told her friend.  
  
"Alright. I'll talk to you later then. Bye." Talia said.  
  
"Bye." Click!  
  
Riley sighed as she put down the phone. Then she got up from her bed and walked over to her desk where she loaded all her stuff from Knax Square. After she looked through it all she packed all of the books, equipment, and dress apparel neatly into a large trunk her mom gave her. On the front were her initials 'RN'.  
  
Right when she put down her phone it rang.  
  
"Hey Riley!" she heard Leilani say before she even said "Hello."  
  
"Hey Lei!" Riley replied.  
  
"I just found out the biggest and best news in the world!" Leilani yelled through the receiver.  
  
"And what would that be?" Riley asked.  
  
"You know how our performing arts classes are only during the summer?" Leilani questioned.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And you know how Ms. Minogue, our awesome teacher, is always somewhere else during the other 3 seasons of the year?" Leilani went on.  
  
"Uh-huh." Riley said.  
  
"She's one of the teachers at Hogwarts!!!" Riley announced happily over the phone.  
  
"No way!!!" Riley said jumping up from her bed.  
  
"I'm not lying to you! I swear!" Leilani swore.  
  
"Which class does she teach?" Riley asked anxiously.  
  
"I don't know. We don't even know what kind of classes we have." Leilani reminded her.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"But at least Ms. Minogue is one of our teachers!"  
  
"That's true. Have you told the girls?" Riley asked.  
  
"No. Not yet. I have to go and tell them." Leilani replied.  
  
"I just thought of something." Riley said in a low tone.  
  
"And what would that be?" Leilani questioned suspiciously.  
  
"I don't think we could bring laptops to this Hogwarts. Mom says no electronics work inside the building." Riley announced with grief.  
  
"NO!!!" 


	4. 03 One Door Which Way

The Manhattan summer wind whistled into Riley's half open balcony door. Along with it flew in something else that came from out of thin air and blew in with the wind. It was a piece of parchment. It hovered above Riley's bed as she slept peacefully until dawn broke and she woke up to take her morning jog.  
  
Riley sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes from the sunlight. She grabbed a brush from her nightstand and remade her ponytail that tossed and turned in the night. After she put the brush down and looked up she saw the piece of parchment hovering over her bed and squealed.  
  
"Will someone please tell me next time when something weird is going to happen?" Riley complained to no one.  
  
She looked up at the piece of parchment and slowly started to raise her hand up to it. Right when she was an inch away it unraveled. She pulled her hand away and read what was in scripted on it.  
  
There is only one door  
But which one will you take?  
  
"'There is only one door - But which one will you take?' I don't get it." Riley said aloud. The parchment wavered down to Riley's bed sheets. She picked it up and folded it in half. Then, walking over to her trunk she stuffed it into one of her notebooks. "It has to do something with Hogwarts."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Exactly how can you have one door but still have to choose one? What's there to choose if there's only one?" Leilani said confused.  
  
"I don't know." Riley replied shrugging her shoulders.  
  
"So, exactly how did you find this again?" Tara asked.  
  
Riley groaned. "I told you what happened 4 times already."  
  
"Who's counting?" Tara said sarcastically.  
  
"Ugh.it was just hovering over my bed when I woke up. That's it. A few seconds after I read it stopped hovering and landed on my bed." Riley explained a 5th time.  
  
"So you have no idea how it got there?" Becky asked.  
  
"Not a clue." Riley said plainly. 


	5. 04 Saying GoodBye

"New York traffic isn't the easiest to get through." Mrs. Nyxinn said from the front seat.  
  
"Yeah. Exactly how did you get all of our stuff in the back trunk?" Tara asked curiously.  
  
"Just a little spell." Mrs. Nyxinn said as her comforting, light brown eyes that Riley inherited smiled at Tara through the rear view mirror.  
  
"I've never ridden in this car before. It's really big. There's a front, back, and middle! So cool!" Leilani said amazed.  
  
"Chill Lei. It's just a car." Riley said from the front passenger seat.  
  
"It's an awesome car!" Leilani said spreading her arms out almost hitting Jhene in the head.  
  
"Watch yourself Lei." Jhene said shaking her head.  
  
"Sorry." Leilani said and she searched the cars various compartments.  
  
"Are they still in back of us?" Riley asked from the front.  
  
Leilani turned around to see Sean's car following from behind.  
  
"Yeah." Leilani said after confirming that they were there.  
  
"Who's in there with Sean, Ri?" Becky asked.  
  
"Er.Paul, Miranda, and Alexis." Riley replied.  
  
"And why are they coming again?" Becky asked.  
  
"You know why. Sean and Miranda are my favorite cousins. They're practically my older brother and sister. Alexis is just there because Sean, they are together. But, she's really close too so it's a good thing she's coming. And Paul is my biggest homie in the world." Riley explained to Becky again.  
  
"Paul's your biggest homie, huh?" Becky teased.  
  
"Yes. He's my biggest homie. You know what I mean. We're really close." Riley said calmly.  
  
"Right." Becky said and she turned away to talk to Tara.  
  
Riley smiled innocently making sure that Becky didn't see. But, she couldn't get her smile away from her mom. Mrs. Nyxinn giggled and caught her daughters' attention.  
  
"What's so funny?" Riley asked.  
  
"Nothing." Mrs. Nyxinn said smiling.  
  
Riley shook her head.  
  
"I'm really going to miss you honey. 9 months without you is going to be hard." Mrs. Nyxinn said sadly.  
  
"Don't worry Mom; I'm coming back for holidays." Riley reassured her.  
  
"I know." Mrs. Nyxinn said. "Just make sure you have fun and keep up with class, alright?"  
  
"I will Mom. I'll send you an owl any chance I get." Riley told her mom.  
  
"You better." Mrs. Nyxinn said smiling. "Oh look! We're here. Finally!"  
  
When they arrived at the airport the immediately got their bags tagged and headed for the waiting area. It was 9:45 PM and their flight was supposed to be boarding at 10:15 PM.  
  
"Well, we're going to have to wait." Tara said as she sat down next to Jhene.  
  
"I'm going to go and look for a Starbucks." Riley said getting up.  
  
"I'll go with you." Paul said getting up from his seat too. Becky cleared her throat noticeably. Riley gave her a very convincing eye.  
  
"No problem." Riley said still looking at Becky.  
  
The two "homies" walked down the airports hallways talking about how they have to keep in touch no matter what. When they finally found a Starbucks they both ordered a Venti Iced Caramel Frappacino and walked back to the waiting area drinking them happily.  
  
"Come on you guys! Hurry up!" Jhene said as they turned the corner to their waiting area. "We're boarding early!"  
  
Riley and Paul broke into a sort of jog and run and caught up to the rest of them.  
  
"Here are your bags." Leilani said and her and Tara handed Riley her bags.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Give your ticket to the lady Riley." Mrs. Nyxinn said.  
  
"Huh? Oh! Right." Riley said as she pulled out her ticket from her back pocket.  
  
She handed the lady her ticket and they all headed for the plane. Since Mrs. Nyxinn, Paul, Sean, Miranda, and Alexis weren't passengers they couldn't go too far. So they said their good-byes once they got to the passengers entrance.  
  
"Bye honey. Take good care of yourself alright?" Mrs. Nyxinn said as she hugged her daughter, tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
"I will Mom. I love you." Riley said starting to tear as well.  
  
"I love you too." Mrs. Nyxinn said.  
  
They released each other and smiled.  
  
"Alright. I have to go to the car before they give me a ticket. I'll meet you guys there while I watch your car as well." Mrs. Nyxinn said and she vanished into a corner.  
  
Sean, Miranda, and Alexis all hugged Riley. They each gave her a good-bye present. Sean gave her a new shoulder bag that she could use for her classes. Miranda gave her a picture frame that said around it "Love Is As Strong As Our Friendship" that held a picture of her and Miranda and also a pack of pictures to keep for remembrance. Alexis gave her a photo album for all the pictures and an admirable jacket by Coach.  
  
"Well, make sure you keep in touch." Paul demanded.  
  
"I promise." Riley said.  
  
They hugged each other and gave a kiss on the cheek for good-bye.  
  
"Here. This is for you." Paul said pulling a couple of items out of his jean pocket.  
  
It was a notebook and a long, velvet box. The notebook said on the cover "If writing is your dream than fulfill it- I will help you along the way."  
  
"I guess the notebooks saying was referring to it helping you but I'll always be there for you helping you fulfill your dreams." Paul said honestly.  
  
"Thanks. It's great." Riley said searching for better words.  
  
"Oh. I got this for you too. Open it on the plane okay?" Paul asked.  
  
Riley shook her head and hugged him one last time.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Riley struggled as she carried all of her gifts onto the plane along with her luggage. Once she got her trunk and two duffle bags into the top compartment she sat down next to Leilani to look through all of her gifts.  
  
"You alright alone Tara?" Leilani said peeking over in back of her to her friend.  
  
"I'm fine. I needed the extra chair to hold my stuff anyways." Tara answered.  
  
"Alright." Leilani said as she sat back down. She turned to Riley who was holding the velvet box from Paul in her hands turning it around several times.  
  
"What's in the box?" Leilani asked.  
  
"I don't know." Riley said plainly.  
  
"So, then why don't you open it?" Leilani suggested obviously.  
  
Riley smiled. "Yeah. That'd be a good idea." She opened the box revealing a shining, silver heart locket. In scripted on the front were the letters 'PR.'  
  
"Paul and Riley I suppose." Leilani said.  
  
"Paul and Riley?" Becky said turning and leaning over her seat to see the necklace in Riley's hand. "Wow! He gave that to you?"  
  
"Yeah." Riley said opening the locket. Inside was a picture of her and Paul. She smiled again sighing a happy sigh.  
  
"Here. Let me put it on." Leilani said. Riley handed her the necklace and she put it on around her neck.  
  
"Thanks." Riley said smiling at her friend.  
  
"Well, I'm going to order some gourmet food! 1st class is going to be busy this flight." Becky said humorously.  
  
Leilani started to read her book The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants that gave Riley time to look through her gifts in peace. Once she looked through everything and carefully, trying not to put any fingerprints on the pictures, placed them into the photo album, she opened up Paul's notebook to start writing. But, there was already something written in it.  
  
Dear Riley,  
Over the years our friendship has kept hold through all of the tough times. I hope that this separation will not steer us away from each other. You're my #1 "Homie" and I pray that we will never part as friends.  
Keep in touch and don't ever change.  
  
With love,  
Paul 


	6. 05 Eat Up

"Hello monsieur!" Leilani said courteously to the man at the concierge desk.  
  
"Hello madam. How may I assist you today?" the concierge asked politely.  
  
"We have the Presidential Suite reserved under the name Riley-Mae Nyxinn." Leilani said clearly and radiantly.  
  
The concierge typed something onto the computer screen and looked at it with narrow eyes.  
  
"Ah! Yes." The concierge said lifting his head up from the computer. "Here we are! Riley-Mae Nyxinn. Presidential Suite, two nights, private entrance, and personal butler. Just hand your bags over here to Fránk" he said making a hand gesture to a very stout man who came hurrying to their service ", and follow Pierre to your room. Here are your keys; one for each of you. Enjoy your stay here at the Plaza in London.  
  
The girls thanks the concierge and kindly gave their bags to Fránk took them into a back room. Then, they followed Pierre down the marbled floored, antique looking hall to a private elevator. The man led them courteously into the elevator taking out a master key-card from his pocket. He slipped it into it's key-card hole and automatically the button that said "20" on it lit up.  
  
"Every time you need to go up to your rooms just insert your card into it's slot and the elevator will automatically take you there. If you are going downstairs the same applies. The system is programmed not to let you enter floors 2-17. 18-20 are yours and the ground floor is accessible to all." Pierre informed the girls as they made their way up.  
  
Ding!  
  
"Well, thanks Pierre! Tara said and the girls headed into their Suite.  
  
"Good day!" Pierre said and the elevator door closed.  
  
"Whoa!" Riley said.  
  
They all ran to see what their friend was so excited about. They found her in the kitchen, refrigerator door wide open.  
  
"Awesome!" Jhene said and she peeked inside too.  
  
Inside the refrigerator was a whole assortment of food. Fruit parfait, London style cheesecake, chocolate moose, and anything else that you wanted. And if it wasn't there, then there was always room service.  
  
"Your mom said that everything in the room was paid for so we could enjoy ourselves, right?" Jhene asked hungrily.  
  
"Yup!" Riley said looking around the refrigerator still.  
  
"And we could spend up to £1,000 on room service, right?" Jhene asked.  
  
"That's what she said!" Riley said smiling at her friend.  
  
"YES! SCORE!" Jhene screamed aloud.  
  
"Come on guys. You can't fill yourselves up on all of this. You could seriously damage your digestive system." Leilani said intelligently.  
  
"Oh Lei!" Riley said sighing.  
  
"What?! It's true!" 


	7. 06 Questions and Unfinished Answers

"Has anyone seen Tara?" Riley asked as she rubbed her eyes from the sunlight and walked into the kitchen to find Leilani and Becky already awake.  
  
"Yeah. She woke up around 6:00 AM, got ready, and left around 7:00 AM to go and see some sites." Leilani said.  
  
"Yeah. I should have had known." Riley said sitting down at the table with her friends.  
  
"She does love London." Becky said knowingly.  
  
"Yup." Riley said pouring herself some orange juice when she could of have had had fruit cocktail. "So what're we going to do while we're waiting for her?"  
  
"We could just hang out here and read through our books. Although, mind you, Jhene might not like that." Leilani suggested.  
  
"What do you mean? She likes to read." Riley questioned.  
  
"Well, yeah, a little. But, even though these books are full of awesome stuff, it still might not be fit for her to read." Leilani replied.  
  
"Well, we brought our laptops for last time use didn't we. She could go on- line. Come to think of it, we should go on-line. We only have one more day in contact with all of our friends." Riley said lowering her voice.  
  
"Don't worry Ri. Your mom said our owls are going to fly over to Hogwarts on the second day for us to start sending letters." Becky reassured her friend.  
  
"Yeah. Right." Riley said in a trying-to-be-happy voice.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"I really can't believe that we're already leaving tomorrow. The whole month passed by so quickly." Riley said through the phones receiver.  
  
"I know. I'm really going to miss you." Talia's voice said through Riley's ear.  
  
"I'm going to miss you too. But at least by the end of the year I'll be able to do some sort of charm on Julienne." Riley said smiling even though her friend couldn't see.  
  
"But, isn't she going too?"  
  
"Sadly." Riley replied.  
  
"That sucks big time." Talia said. She hated Julienne just as much as her friend did.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"Well, I hope you have a lot of fun over there." Talia said.  
  
"I hope I do. What happens if the school stinks big time?!" Riley started to think.  
  
"Then good luck to you." Talia replied.  
  
"I think I might need it." Riley said her head drooping down.  
  
"Sorry, I have to go now. Stupid dentist appointment." Talia said with disgust.  
  
"Ha! Ha! Good luck! Bye!" Riley laughed over the phone.  
  
"That's not funny! Bye!" Talia said. Cick!  
  
"A whole 9 months without her. How will I survive?" Riley questioned herself and then sighed without answering.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Ring! Ring! Ring!  
  
"Hello?" Riley said as she picked up the room phone.  
  
"Riley. Is that you?" the familiar voice asked.  
  
"Yes. Who's this?" Riley asked almost certain who it was.  
  
"Ri! It's Mom!" Mrs. Nyxinn said.  
  
"I thought so. Hi Mom!" Riley said into the receiver.  
  
"How's everything over there?" Mrs. Nyxinn asked kindly.  
  
"It's great. I think Jhene is about to spend all of the money you put on this Suite." Riley said honestly.  
  
"Ha! Ha! Is that right?" Mrs. Nyxinn questioned back.  
  
"Well, it is Jhene." Riley replied.  
  
"That's true. Anyways, Riley, I forgot to tell you guys how to get through to the Platform." Mrs. Nyxinn said.  
  
"Hold on. Let me get my ticket." Riley said putting the phone down on hold.  
  
"Riley!" Mrs. Nyxinn said. "She can never be patient."  
  
"Okay. Got it. Platform. Wait. Platform 9 ¾? I don't get it. There's no such thing." Riley said dumbfounded.  
  
"Sure there is. I was trying to explain to you how to get there. Always remember Riley, this is magic." Mrs. Nyxinn informed.  
  
"Oh, right." Riley replied.  
  
"Okay. Here's the thing. When you get to Kings Cross Station head for Platform 9 and 10. There's a brick was in-between them. You have to run through the wall to get into the platform. Got it?" Mrs. Nyxinn informed sternly. "Riley? Riley?!"  
  
"Oh. Sorry Mom." Riley said. "What do you mean, you have to run through the wall?"  
  
"The wall is a barrier. It's the entrance to the station. You know, like magic." Mrs. Nyxinn reminded her.  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
"Okay, so now that you know, I hope that you get through alright." Mrs. Nyxinn said.  
  
"Yeah. I hope so too. Running through a brick wall is going to be difficult." Riley said in disbelief and in sarcasm.  
  
"Riley, be serious please."  
  
"Sorry Mom."  
  
"Alright, make sure you arrive early so you get good seats. Maybe you could make new friends." Mrs. Nyxinn suggested.  
  
"Mom, I have perfectly good friends." Riley complained.  
  
"I know Riley. I mean you could make more. None of the girls know about magic. You could learn from them. Some of them come from all magic families." Mrs. Nyxinn replied.  
  
"Some of them? Do you mean that some are like us?" Riley asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes. Of course. Not everyone going to that school is all-magic. Dumbledore is very kind to let Muggles go to that school. Oh! I forgot. You're not a Muggle. I mean you're half but not full." Mrs. Nyxinn said remembering to inform her daughter of the subject.  
  
"Mugg-" Riley started.  
  
"Sorry. I have to go Riley. Have fun! I love you!" Click!  
  
"Does she always have to leave me confused like this?" Riley questioned herself again.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"So your mom said we have to go through the wall?" Jhene asked.  
  
"That's what she said." Riley replied.  
  
"Magic is so cool!" Tara yelled.  
  
"If you mean running into brick walls." Leilani said sarcastically. 


	8. 07 Wakeup Call

"Riley the train doesn't leave until 11:00 AM! It's 5:00 in the morning!" Tara complained as Riley banged rapidly on her friends door.  
  
"Better early than late." Leilani said in a happy voice as she passed by Tara's bedroom.  
  
"Leilani agrees with me." Riley said finally shoving open Tara's bedroom door.  
  
"Ugh!" Tara said as she sat up in bed, considering she had no other choice; she knew that Riley wouldn't give up until she was up anyways.  
  
Tara got up from bed and walked over to the kitchen where she was surprised to see that everyone else was awake already. Although she wasn't surprised to see Riley and Leilani running around like wild animals already dressed.  
  
"How can you all be up so early?" Tara asked confused as she sat down in between Becky and Jhene who looked as tired as her.  
  
"When I heard them walking around getting ready I decided it'd be better to wake on my own than to be woke up by them." Becky said eyes drooping.  
  
"Same here." Jhene said tiredly.  
  
"Here. Drink this." Riley said as she brought a tray over to Tara, Jhene, and Becky. On the tray was three cups of Hazelnut coffee hot and ready to wake up the late birds.  
  
"Thanks Ri." Becky said kindly.  
  
"No problem." Riley said and she headed for the stove where she was getting omelets ready for everyone.  
  
"What're you making Lei?" Riley asked as she flipped over her homemade omelet.  
  
"Hash browns. Found some potatoes in the fridge. I'm surprised at what stuff this hotel provides without the room service." Leilani replied.  
  
"Alright. I'm done. I'm going to set these on the table and then I'm going to go down the street. I saw a market at the corner. I wanted to go and get something to drink while we're on the train." Riley said as she used the spatula to scoop up the omelets and lay them on a clean plate.  
  
"Alright. I have some £'s in my bag." Leilani informed.  
  
"Thanks." Riley said as she turned around to head for the table. "Here you go." She placed the omelets on the table and gathered up the already empty coffee cups. "Lei! We need more coffee! And OJ!"  
  
"Orange juice. We didn't ask for orange juice." Jhene complained.  
  
"We didn't ask for coffee either but I'm not complaining." Tara said.  
  
"Orange juice has vitamin C. We all need it." Riley replied and she dashed off to her room to brush her teeth. A few minutes later she came back with her hair tied back, a pair of Jordan's, and a sweater that she didn't have on earlier because the room had a heater. "I'll be back in about 15 minutes." And she hurried out the door pulling her key-card out of her back pocket.  
  
~~***~~~  
  
"I wonder if they have Propel water." Riley said to herself as she walked down the aisle of the small corner market. "Ah! Propel. Surprise they have it here in London too." She opened the door and grabbed 4 bottles of the liquid and placed them neatly into her shopping basket. "I guess I'll just grab some gum and be on my way."  
  
Riley walked down the aisle and turned left to go to the cashier stand. She grabbed about 20 packs of Juicy Fruit supposing that at Hogwarts they didn't have any. She paid for her groceries and left the store humming a tune to "Ain't No Mountain High", a favorite oldie.  
  
As she turned the corner to head for the Plaza she was bumped by a woman wearing stylish clothes but a sour expression.  
  
"You should better watch yourself young lady." The woman said lips pursed. Then she strode away clicking her heels as she walked.  
  
"She was odd." Riley said seeming to sense something strange about her. But, her mind decided to leave the matter alone, and concentrated on returning to the Plaza.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"So, there's the wall. Platform 9 and Platform 10." Tara said as she looked at the red bricks that was supposed to be that barrier to Platform 9 ¾.  
  
"What do we do? What if it doesn't work and we just run straight into the wall?" Jhene said laughing at the thought but still being serious about the problem at hand.  
  
"Having trouble ladies." A familiar voice echoed from behind. The girls turned around to find that it was Fred (Or maybe George.) who was the owner of the voice. Mrs. Weasley, a shy looking girl and an older young man that looked like another older brother, accompanied Ron and his older brothers, Fred and George.  
  
"Oh! Hi Ron! Fred! George!" Riley said happily. "Hi there Mrs. Weasley!"  
  
"Hello there Riley!" Mrs. Weasley replied merrily.  
  
"This is Ginny; she's my younger sister. And that's Percy; he's my older brother. He's a prefect." Ron said introducing them.  
  
Fred and George snickered.  
  
"Hi!" the girls all said in unison.  
  
"Looks like they're having trouble getting through the barrier Ron. Why don't you help them?" Fred said as a smile wrinkled his cheeks as his brother turned around to him.  
  
"You're forgetting that I haven't gone through before either Fred." Ron replied.  
  
"But, you know how don't you." George said.  
  
"Ugh." Ron turned around back to the girls who were watching the argument with interest. "You just have to run through the wall. Do it quickly though so the Muggles don't notice. It won't hurt or anything. Don't worry." Ron explained quite plainly.  
  
"Oh. Okay. That's what we thought." Riley said wondering what Muggles were. "Hey! Where's Leilani?"  
  
"Right here! Come and see!" Leilani said, her head popping out of the wall.  
  
"Lei! They'll see!" Riley said in an obvious, but low voice.  
  
"Sorry." Leilani said and she pulled her head back through.  
  
"I guess we could go through then." Riley said. She turned her trolley around and starting at a run towards the wall. She closed her eyes as she got closer and felt a sudden warm feeling pass through her. She opened her eyes and saw Leilani smiling happily in front of a large, scarlet steam engine that had the words "The Hogwarts Express" printed on it in gold letters. "Awesome!"  
  
"See!" Leilani said still smiling.  
  
There were small squeals behind Riley and she turned around to see where they were coming from. It was Tara, Jhene, and Becky. They were all looking up in amazement at the steam engine.  
  
"Wicked!" Ron said as he appeared next to Becky. 


	9. 08 Tara's Mistake

"Look! Here's a big one. Let's take it." Riley said as she peeked into one of the larger sized compartments in the train.  
  
"I suppose we put our bags up here." Leilani said shoving her duffle bag and trunk on the overhead compartment.  
  
They all got their stuff out of the way and sat down starting to talk to each other happily. It was only 10:00 AM so they had another hour before the train started to head for Hogwarts. At least they got good seats. Suddenly, all their heads turned to the sound of the compartment door being opened from the outside.  
  
It was Julienne.  
  
"I see you've arrived already." She said in her high-pitched voice.  
  
"I see that unfortunately you have too." Leilani said with hatred.  
  
Julienne narrowed her eyes and dogged Leilani angrily. "Well, at least I have a better chance at this Hogwarts school that any of you do. Although my parents didn't raise me in a wizarding village they still brought me up knowing that I was a witch, unlike you." She grinned a malicious grin and raised her eyebrows at Leilani's sour expression. "I bet you don't even know who Harry Potter is." And with that she flipped her hair behind her and walked off down the train.  
  
Leilani got up and stomped to the door. She closed it angrily, turned around and crossed her arms not even sitting down.  
  
"Lei, I bet she hasn't even made friends. No one at Jefferson liked her so it's not like she came here with anyone. I'll bet she won't make any this year." Jhene said trying to cheer her up.  
  
"Once I learn a good spell to cast on that witch I'm going to do it even if I get in trouble." Leilani said, lips pursed.  
  
"Well, literally she is a witch." Tara said.  
  
Leilani growled and sat down next to Riley so swiftly that air passed through Riley's dark brown, blackish hair.  
  
"Er.I bought some Propel and gum at the store. Figured they probably didn't have this here." Riley said getting up and grabbing her backpack that she used to carry the water and gum at the moment. She passed them out to her friends and made sure to smile at Leilani when she gave one to her.  
  
"Oh! Juicy Fruit!" Becky said and she jumped from her seat and grabbed a pack as if she was about to die if she didn't.  
  
They all chewed on their gum happily and talked about how their owls would have to carry several amounts of letters at once owing to the fact that they had so many friends to keep in touch with.  
  
"I haven't even thought of a name for mine." Jhene said starting to think of one.  
  
When they were back at Knax Square they all bought owls for the post to use for keeping in touch with their friends. Riley purchased a small Scottish Phew owl whose feathers were light brown and white. It was a miniscule little bird but the owner of the shop said that it could carry large loads without struggle. Leilani got a Snowy owl. Tara bought a Black Night owl and decided that she would dye its tips red to give it a "fiery" affect. Jhene picked out a brownish, grayish owl and Becky decided on one that looked similar.  
  
"My mom named my owl. She decided on Lillix. Said she liked that band a lot." Riley said shrugging her shoulders.  
  
"I think I'll name mine Phliaque." Leilani said.  
  
"Phliaque?" Becky questioned giggling.  
  
"I really don't know what it means, moreover how I'm going to spell it, but it sounds cool." Leilani said randomly.  
  
"I guess so." Becky said still giggling.  
  
They talked again starting on the subject of naming Tara, Jhene, and Becky's owls. In the end they were left with Flame, Tara's owl; Teeny, Jhene's owl ("It's obviously not tiny but it's cool to have it's name the opposite of it's appearance." Jhene said.); and Philly; Becky's owl.  
  
They all turned towards the compartment door as it slid open to reveal a very malicious looking face that had a grin turned to the side and blonde hair slicked back. Two over large boys who didn't look too bright accompanied him.  
  
"I heard there were a bunch of Muggle-borns in here." The boy said eyeing each of the girls.  
  
"Will somebody please tell me what the hell a Muggle is!" Riley yelled waving her hands in the air causing Leilani to duck. It was a surprise she wasn't Italian because then it would be explainable as to why she was always using hand gestures.  
  
"Humph!" the boy said starting to laugh like a wannabe villain. The two boys in back of him started to laugh as well, a little confused at what they were doing.  
  
"What? I just want to know what a Muggle is!" Riley said starting to get out of hand. She didn't normally have a short temper.  
  
"If you insist on knowing a Muggle born is a witch or wizard that has non- magic parents." He said knowingly. "Filthy little things."  
  
"Well, that was easy. I'm half. My mom says I am." Riley said to herself but still letting everyone hear.  
  
"Well, why are you so surprised to see Muggle-borns anyway?" Tara asked annoyed.  
  
"No reason." The boy said unconvincingly. "By the way, I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."  
  
"That's nice." Becky said brow furrowed.  
  
"If you don't mind, we were have a conversation here and you interrupted." Riley said trying to shoo him off nicely.  
  
"Sorry for interrupting. But, I'm afraid I haven't gotten your names." Malfoy said grinning.  
  
"Will you go away if I tell you?" Riley said nicely but in a harsh tone.  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"I'm Riley then. This is Leilani. That's Tara. Jhene and Becky." Riley said in one breath.  
  
"Interesting names." Malfoy said looking at them all individually.  
  
"Yeah. Yours too. Bye bye now." Riley said waving her hands to him.  
  
"I'm actually not in the mood to be leaving quite yet." Malfoy said starting to step forward into the compartment.  
  
"I don't like the tone of your voice, Malfoy." Riley said smartly.  
  
"I happen to like the tone of yours." Malfoy said speeding up his walking steps and stopping in front of Riley. She stood up and looked at him straight in the eye evilly.  
  
"You're kind of cute." Malfoy said disgustingly. Riley had enough. She was glad this Malfoy wasn't immature for an 11-year-old but at this moment it wasn't really a good thing. She didn't have a short temper and normally took thing pretty easily. But, this kid was annoying the hell of her and she didn't like it one bit. She tightened her fist and punched him straight in the face. Pow!  
  
"Oomph!" Malfoy said and he fell on the empty seat behind him. He got up quickly rubbing his nose that didn't break but was on the verge. "At least your tough." He smiled at her as if the punch never happened and walked out of the compartment swishing his cloak behind him.  
  
"Jerk." Riley said plainly, her eyes looking down narrowly.  
  
"You showed him, I'll tell ya." A voice said from the still open compartment door. It was Ron. Next to him was a skinny boy with jet-black hair, round glasses, and excellent green eyes.  
  
"He was annoying me. That's all." Riley said shaking her head and sitting down. She pulled out her Juicy Fruit pack and took out a stick of gum. She started to chew on it tensely.  
  
"Well, I'm surprised you did it. He was bothering Harry and I earlier. But, we didn't do anything about it." Ron said smiling.  
  
"That's different. He didn't approach you and invade-" Riley started. "Let's just say I fixed it for the both of us. But it didn't seem like it worked."  
  
"At least you did it." The boy with the glasses said.  
  
"Oh! This is Harry Potter." Ron said eyes bulging. Harry looked as if he didn't want Ron to say that or make his eyes all big.  
  
"Hi Harry!" Riley said starting to smile again.  
  
"Nice meeting you." Tara said putting out a hand. Harry shook it with a look of confusion on his face.  
  
"Are you alright?" Leilani asked.  
  
"It's just." Harry started.  
  
"I don't get it." Jhene whispered to Becky.  
  
"This is HARRY POTTER." Ron said again trying to get something through. It seemed like he was trying to get Harry's name through to the girls.  
  
"So you've told us." Riley said bewildered.  
  
"Are you telling me you don't know?" Ron asked. Harry started to shift around nervously as if he wasn't comfortable with something.  
  
"We don't know what?" Leilani asked.  
  
"Harry Potter. The Harry Potter. The boy who defeated You-Know-Who when he was only a baby!" Ron said supposing that everyone was supposed to know this already.  
  
"Uh-huh. And you're the Harry?" Riley said looking at Harry.  
  
"Er.yeah." Harry said uncomfortably.  
  
"Okay. So now we know. Is there anything else?" Riley said casually. Harry started to smile.  
  
"Ugh." Ron said in disbelief. "No."  
  
"Okay. Thanks for informing us anyways. Nice to meet you Harry." Riley said and she turned around and pulled her duffle bag out from the overhead compartment. She opened it up and pulled a laptop out of it knowing this would be her last few hours being able to use it and left the rest of them to talk. Unfortunately, they didn't talk. Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky looked at Riley and decided it was best to just leave her alone but Ron and Harry looked at her in amazement as the clicked the keys on the keyboard confidently. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"What's that?" Ron asked eyes open wide.  
  
"A laptop." Riley replied.  
  
"Laptop!"  
  
"Oh gosh."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
It took 30 minutes for Riley and the girls to explain to Ron exactly what a laptop was. Harry helped as well but just a little.  
  
"I don't know much. My cousin Dudley doesn't let me play." Harry explained.  
  
After they explained to Ron what a laptop was and he finally got the picture Riley decided to let Harry use it for about an hour before she talked to her friends on AIM. She told him how to get to the games so that he could play freely. Ron started to inform Riley and Leilani about Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat, the different houses, and some other stuff that would be mandatory to know while at Hogwarts. Tara, Jhene, and Becky went walking around to talk to other students.  
  
"I really want to get into Transfiguration. Sounds awesome!" Riley said flipping through her Transfiguration book.  
  
"I'm still trying to figure out what class Ms. Minogue is teaching." Leilani questioned herself.  
  
"Ms. Minogue! I hear she's awesome! Fred and George were the only ones out of my older brothers who had her. She came the year Fred and George were 1st years. Been saying she's wicked ever since." Ron explained.  
  
"No way! What class does she teach?" Riley asked quickly.  
  
"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Ron replied.  
  
"Then that's my favorite subject." Riley said.  
  
"How do you know her?" Ron asked.  
  
"She's our performing arts teacher during the summer in New York." Riley said starting to lower her voice.  
  
"We're going back on holiday Riley. Don't worry." Leilani said knowing her friend was depressed about leaving home.  
  
"Right." Riley replied and managed to put a smile back on her face.  
  
"Think I could use your laptop Riley? After Harry's done." Ron asked as he turned to see Harry having major fun on it.  
  
"Well, don't want to take him off of it. But, if Lei doesn't mind you could use hers." Riley suggested.  
  
"Sure. No problem." Leilani offered nicely.  
  
"You have one too?!" Ron asked smiling.  
  
"Yeah. We all do." Leilani replied casually.  
  
"Wicked!" Ron said as he watched Leilani pull hers out of her bag. She handed it to Ron who took hold of it like it was something precious, which Leilani gave much thanks since she didn't want anything to happen to her laptop.  
  
Ron and Harry played on Riley and Leilani's laptops for a long while before they got tired of the screen and decided that they would put it down. Right when Riley and Leilani were logging onto AIM (Harry and Ron watching closely.) Tara, Jhene, and Becky walked in arguing loudly.  
  
"I can't believe you!" Becky said looking at Tara with wide open eyes.  
  
"That's so disgusting!" Jhene continued.  
  
"Completely!" Becky agreed.  
  
"He's a jerk!"  
  
"A really big ass!"  
  
"And after what he did to Riley (Huh? Riley said confused.) you go ahead and just--- ah!!!" Jhene yelled finally and sat down arms crossed. Becky sat down next to her and they all looked at Tara with their brows furrowed and their eyes filled with madness.  
  
"What?!" Tara screamed aloud.  
  
"Can someone explain to us exactly what is happening?" Riley asked as something popped up on her laptop screen.  
  
"Tara kissed Malfoy!!!" Jhene yelled.  
  
"What?!" Riley screamed.  
  
"It's not like I meant to. He opened his compartment door while we were passing by and said "Hi!" to me. I said "Hi!" back and then he just asked me if it would be okay to go on a date sometime. I couldn't help myself. I just said "Sure." And then he kissed me on the cheek. I didn't know what to do so I just kissed him back. Nothing really happened." Tara said as if it wasn't a big deal.  
  
"I can't believe you! Tara this is not like you. You've never liked a guy in your life!" Leilani said.  
  
"I don't like him. I'm just going on a date with him. I don't even know when it's going to happen." Tara replied.  
  
"You're not going on that date." Becky commanded.  
  
"You can't stop me!" Tara said defending herself.  
  
"So you do like him!" Jhene said catching her friend in the act.  
  
Tara stood there without a word to say.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
It was already nightfall and the train was almost at the station. About an hour and a half early the prefects came around and told the students to get dressed for Hogwarts. School robes.  
  
Riley, Leilani, Jhene, and Becky were still upset with Tara and they noticed Malfoy passing by the compartment more times than once pretending not to notice them but making himself very obvious. They decided that they would let Tara go on this date but they were still a little upset. Although, they knew better than to spoil their first time at Hogwarts mad at her (But, the next morning might not be that pleasant.).  
  
The train stopped and let a loud whistle that told all the students that they were at the station. Riley went out into the hall and opened the next- door compartment where she found Ron and Harry.  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"Just a little." Riley answered.  
  
"Leave you trunks, baggage, and any other belongings on the train!" a school prefect announced from one side of the car.  
  
"Let's go." Harry said.  
  
As soon as Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, Becky, Ron, and Harry got out of the train a loud, although calm, voice screamed "First years! This way! First years follow me! Alrigh' there Harry? "  
  
"I'm fine Hagrid." Harry replied.  
  
Hagrid was a tall, large, nice fellow with bushy hair and a mustache and beard of the same bushiness. He led the first years to a set of boats along a lake dock.  
  
"Four t' a boat!" Hagrid screamed against the wind.  
  
Riley, Leilani, Ron and Harry shared a boat while a girl accompanied Tara, Jhene and Becky with brown bushy hair named Hermione.  
  
Once they went through a tunnel and onto the front steps of the amazing castle two large, oak double doors were opened up and all there were a plenty amount of "Ah!"s. 


	10. 09 The Second Message

"Awesome!" Riley half-whispered as she walked into the Great Hall. She was looking up at the floating candles and the view of the night sky above. It was a magnificent site and right then she knew she would love Hogwarts.  
  
The first years just met Professor McGonagall and she was now just escorting them to the Great Hall where all the other students were looking at them attentively. Riley spotted Ms. Minogue at the professors' table but decided it was best not to wave.  
  
Suddenly the hat started to sing a song.  
  
After the song the whole hall started an applause and the hat even did a sort of bow.  
  
When the whole schools' applause faded away McGonagall pulled out a scroll from inside her robes.  
  
"When I call your name you will sit on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head." McGonagall explained to the students who were all looking quite nervous. The only students who didn't look nervous were Riley, Leilani, Malfoy and Julienne.  
  
"Leilani Aleimae!"  
  
Leilani walked up to the Sorting Hat getting a little tense. She picked up the hat gently and laid it on her head.  
  
It didn't take long for the hat to decide where Leilani was to be placed. "GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Leilani walked over to the Gryffindor table happily and sat next to George (Or was it Fred?).  
  
"Susan Bones." A girl with large buckteeth walked up and placed the hat on her head. She then climbed up on the stool and sat waiting anxious and nervous.  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the sorting hat screamed.  
  
There was a loud applause from the Hufflepuff table as Susan walked over to join them.  
  
"Jhene Cobswell!"  
  
Jhene walked up with hesitation and plenty nervous. She did as she was told to do and sat on the stool nervously.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.  
  
Jhene jumped up and down all the way to the table causing her friends to laugh at her hysterically.  
  
The list went down until it hit Tara.  
  
"Tara Martin!" McGonagall said over the cheers from the Slytherin table that just took in Malfoy. He winked at Tara as she walked up. She smiled back at him.  
  
"Disgusting." Riley said to herself.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat proclaimed to the school.  
  
Tara walked down casually and sat down next to Jhene.  
  
"Riley-Mae Nyxinn!"  
  
Riley walked up with a sudden urge to run out of the Great Hall. But, even with that urge her courage to get into Gryffindor kept her walking every step of the way. She picked up the hat from the stool and looked at it for a moment. Then, she placed it on her head and turned around to sit on the stool. All the wanted was to be in Gryffindor. And if it wasn't Gryffindor, then at least Ravenclaw. But, at the moment, Gryffindor was her #1 choice.  
  
It's not like she wasn't a normal girl. She just found out that she was a witch about a month ago and nothing can make her more normal. So, she waited patiently for the hat to make its choice. A couple seconds later it shouted out---  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
"Yes!" Riley said to herself as she placed the hat down on the stool. A loud applause came from the Gryffindor table as she walked down to meet with her friends. Now they only had to wait for Becky.  
  
But, something rather odd happened after Pansky Parkinson and 2 Patil's were sorted. Harry was called and it stunned the 5 girls (4 of which were sitting at the Gryffindor table.) to wonder exactly why the school went into a large amount of whispers.  
  
Harry walked up to the hat and placed it on his head. It took awhile for the hat to decided; definitely more than any of the others. When it did decided it shouted out---  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!"  
  
Still, Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky had no clue as to why everyone thought this boy was either famous or some kind of danger to them. Riley didn't think he was some sort of danger. He was actually a really normal kid who happened to have an arse for a cousin who wouldn't even let him play his computer once and awhile. Other than that unfortunate fact she thought he was a pretty cool guy. She was happy they were friends. But, then, "Ron said something about a You-Know-Who guy Harry defeated. Maybe that's it. Hmm." Riley thought to herself.  
  
After Harry was called Riley decided she'd just talk to Leilani and wait for Becky's name. But, another name came up that made her head pop up and watch.  
  
"Julienne Richards!" McGonagall called.  
  
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat called out a second after she put on the hat.  
  
"Figures." Riley said plainly to Leilani.  
  
"Yeah." Leilani said as she watched Julienne wave her hair around stupidly all the way to the Slytherin table. "Humph!"  
  
Then, "Becky Salvador!"  
  
Riley, Leilani, Tara, and Jhene all looked up from the table. They waited anxiously as their friend was being sorted. It seemed like a lifetime before Becky even put on the hat. Riley thought she would scream out loud if the hat didn't say what house she was in sooner.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted and Riley, Leilani, Tara, and Jhene all got up to clap for her. It was all better now. They didn't have to worry about anything anymore. They were all still together. In one house. Still best friends.  
  
"Hey. What about Ron?" Harry said from Riley's left.  
  
"Oh, Ron. Right. I hope he gets Gryffindor." Riley said.  
  
"He should. All his brothers have been in it." Harry replied.  
  
"Yeah. But how about those Patil twins? One of then is in Ravenclaw." Riley remembered.  
  
"Oh yeah. Good luck Ron. I really hope he gets this house. He's the only friend I've made besides you guys. Well girls. It's just different when it's a girl. No offense-" Harry started to shake nervously.  
  
"Don't worry. I got it. I understand. I have 4 girls as best friends." Riley reminded him.  
  
"Right." Harry said his shaking starting to reside.  
  
Thankfully Ron was called to Gryffindor and one last person was assigned to Slytherin. Professor Dumbledore who now Riley recognized as the headmaster told a few announcements. There was something about his long white beard, his half-moon spectacles, and his loud, thunderous voice that caught her attention. He seemed like great wizard.  
  
Suddenly the golden plates in front of the students were filled with a number of different foods that Jhene was only too happy for. The goblets then filled themselves with pumpkin juice and the students ate away.  
  
After the magnificent feast the different houses were told to follow the prefects to their dormitories. Riley and her friends followed Ron's older brother, Percy, to a portrait of a fat lady wearing a pink dress. Most 1st years jumped when they heard the portrait talking. As if they weren't already freaked out about the moving staircases.  
  
"Password?"  
  
"Caput Draconis." Percy said to the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open to reveal a very warm looking room decorated in green with lions for Gryffindor.  
  
Riley, Leilani, Tara, Jhene, and Becky all headed for their dormitory after Percy explained to them extremely boring instructions. They said "Good night!" to Ron and Harry and were anxious to see what their dormitories looked like. Riley was happy that it looked somewhat like her home penthouse. It had 2 floors; on top was the beds and on the bottom a sort of living room. It had an extremely large bathroom with a tub that was the size of a pool and it was actually a headed pool that let out large bubbles of different colors when you turned it on.  
  
Riley called the bed next to the fireplace and window and Leilani called the one across from her. Becky picked on Riley's right and on her left was Tara. Across from Tara was Jhene and that was it. It was settled. They were at Hogwarts and proud to be there. They just missed home.  
  
"I'm going to go down to the common room and write a letter to everyone I can so I could send them right away tomorrow." Riley said opening her trunk and pulling out a new scroll of parchment, a golden phoenix feather quill, and an inkbottle.  
  
"Alright." Leilani said and Riley headed downstairs to write her letters.  
  
When Riley finished writing various letters to her mom, Talia, Sean, Miranda, and one to a whole group of friends she walked upstairs to get to bed before it was too late. She immediately made her curfew 10:30-11:00 on normal nights. It was already 10:40. Once she put away her letter, ready to send the next morning, she slipped into her night clothes and was about to get into bed until a piece of parchment appeared out of no where in front of her over her bed. This one read:  
  
Choose your friends wisely  
  
They come and they go  
Appearance will matter now  
But still, which way will you go? 


	11. 10 The Blinking Wattablinke

"So, whoever is sending these messages is still making sure I know about the one door. But now he or she wants me to choose my friends wisely. This person is saying that appearance matters now. Appearance never mattered to me before." Riley explained to her friends.  
  
"I really don't get it." Leilani said.  
  
"Neither do I and I really don't want to solve it either. But, something tells me I have to keep these messages in case something actually does happen.  
  
It was 7:30 in the morning and all the girls were down at the Great Hall eating breakfast. It was a pretty good breakfast and they were all looking forward to having it everyday. Riley told them about the message once they were all together and now they all looked confused about the second one.  
  
"Look. Professor McGongall is coming." Tara said as she bit on a piece of toast.  
  
They all turned to see that Professor McGongall was indeed coming down the Gryffindor table passing out pieces of paper.  
  
"Wonder what it is?" Becky asked unknowingly.  
  
"Me too." Jhene continued.  
  
"Hello Ms. Nyxinn. Ms. Aliemae. Ms. Martin. Ms. Cobswell. Ms. Salvador. I hope I won't be saying that too often." McGonagall hesitated with all of their names. "I am the head of Gryffindor house and also your Transfiguration teacher. Here are your class schedules. Classes start at 8:00. Lunch hour is 12:00-1:00 and the school day ends at 4:00."  
  
"4:00!" Jhene complained aloud.  
  
"Yes Ms. Cobswell." McGongall replied brow furrowed.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"You will have 7 classes a day each with a different house of your own class." McGonagall explained. "That's it. Any questions?"  
  
"No ma'am." Leilani replied.  
  
"Please. Professor McGonagall. I can't stand being called ma'am." McGonagall pleaded.  
  
"Sorry Professor."  
  
"Common mistake. Don't worry." And she headed for the next group of kids to hand out schedules to.  
  
"Cool classes." Riley said looking at her schedule.  
  
|Class |Mon. |Tues. |Wed. |Thurs. |Fri. | |Transfiguratio| | | | | | |n (Ravenclaw) | | | | | | |DADA | | | | | | |(Slytherin) | | | | | | |Herbology | | | | | | |(Ravenclaw) | | | | | | |Care of | | | | | | |Magical | | | | | | |Creatures | | | | | | |(Hufflepuff) | | | | | | |History of | | | | | | |Magic | | | | | | |(Hufflepuff) | | | | | | |Charms | | | | | | |(Slytherin) | | | | | | |Potions | | | | | | |(Ravenclaw) | | | | | | |Flying Lessons| | | | | | |(Slytherin) | | | | | |  
  
"Yeah. It's sort of hard to read, with all these checks. We have Transfiguration all week. Look here's another one. Oh, just a list of teachers." Riley said.  
  
|Teacher |Class | |Transfiguration |McGonagall | |DADA |Minogue | |Herbology |Sprout | |Care of Magical Creatures |Sprout | |History o Magic |Binns | |Charms |Flitwick | |Potions |Snape | |Flying Lessons |Madam Hooch |  
  
"Cool names." Tara said.  
  
"Yeah. We get Ms. Minogue for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Riley replied.  
  
"I know. How cool!" Jhene answered.  
  
"But, don't we have to call her Professor Minogue?" Becky asked.  
  
"Oh yeah. That sounds kind of weird." Tara replied.  
  
"It's still Ms. Minogue. Well, Professor Minogue. That is weird." Riley said.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
Since Riley and Leilani sat together and Tara and Jhene sat together Becky was left alone. But, a young man named Seamus Finnigan no sooner accompanied her. It was Transfiguration class with McGonagall and all the students were anxious for their first class.  
  
Professor McGonagall walked in and approached her desk turning towards the students. Then she turned a nearby abandoned desk into a flying pig who flew around the room before turning back into a normal desk the class gave an assortment of "Oh"s and "Ah"s.  
  
"When are we going to learn how to do that Professor?!" A Gryffindor named Seamus Finnigan asked amazed.  
  
"Not soon Mr. Finnigan. This was only an example of what this class is really about. Transfiguration! Transforming an object into something or other. In this class you will tackle some of the spells that will be the hardest in your history of being a wizard or witch. There will be no fooling around in this class. You have been warned." McGonagall said sternly.  
  
All the students looked both amazed and scared.  
  
"Today we will be doing something simple. Turning a needle into a matchstick." McGonagall announced.  
  
"Ah!" the whole class booed.  
  
McGonagall looked up from her desk where she was trying to find the needles to the complaining students. They all sat quiet waiting for her after that.  
  
When McGonagall found the needles she muttered a spell under her breath as she pointed her wand at the box. Suddenly 3 needles appeared on everyone's desk looking like they were unable to roll down the table.  
  
"Now, open your books to page 4 and follow the instructions on how to transform these objects." McGonagall instructed. "Although books are useful in this class I find it easier to teach without them. But, today you will be reading from them." There was a groan from the front of the class from a girl with brown, bushy hair.  
  
"Hermione." Ron said from behind Riley and Leilani. "Thinks books answer all your problems."  
  
Riley and Leilani giggled.  
  
"You are only allowed to talk to your partners." McGonagall told the class giving Ron the eye. He looked down nervously.  
  
"Alright. It says here 'Infininte transcantre.'" Leilani read from her book.  
  
"Okay. Let's try it." Riley said pulling out her wand from her robes. She pointed her wand to one of the needles and chanted, "Infininte transcantre."  
  
A red spark came from out of her wand and traveled out of her wand to the eye of the needle to the tip. One it's way leaving behind the transformed matchstick.  
  
"Awesome!" Riley said after the sparks disappeared.  
  
Riley and Leilani were having good luck with the needles. They finished in about 2 minutes sometimes having to say the spell over again. They were about to raise their matchsticks up and tell McGonagall they were done but someone got there right before them.  
  
"Done Professor!" a squeaky voice shouted from the front. It was Hermione.  
  
Riley and Leilani turned around to find Ron and Harry smiling as well.  
  
"Us too Proffesor." Riley said after Hermione.  
  
"Hermione, Neville, Riley, and Leilani you may start on your homework." Proffesor replied.  
  
Ron and Harry snickered. Leilani looked back as eyed them. They smiled while holding their hands up.  
  
"1 foot essay on the main subject of this first chapter." McGonagall explained.  
  
Hermione looked like the only one who was really happy about it. Neville looked petrified.  
  
Riley and Leilani started on their essay of the chapter. There were small giggles heard from in back of them and they turned around but then started to get annoyed and stopped. So did the giggles. It was nearly time for class to get done and Riley and Leilani had finished their essays. Everyone had turned his or her needles into matchsticks except for a very unlucky Ravenclaw.  
  
All the students emptied the room at 8:50 and started to head for their next class. Riley, Leilani, Ron and Harry waited outside for Tara, Jhene, and Becky. They were heading for Defense Against the Dark Arts next and all the girls were anxious for the class to begin. Ron and Harry had to deal with various squeals of excitement all the way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.  
  
They all walked into the classroom and sat down with their same partners. This time Riley sat with Seamus so that Becky could sit with Leilani. Defense Against the Dark Arts was with the Slytherins but so far they hadn't disturbed them.  
  
"So, where do you come from?" Seamus asked Riley.  
  
"New York. In the US." Riley answered.  
  
"Oh. I'm from Surrey. England. What do you like to do in New York? Do you have any fancies?" Seamus asked.  
  
"Well," Riley started. "There's a lot to do in New York. Ice skating at Rockefeller Center. Really, you could just sit at a corner café and there's a show for you. Oh shows! There are plays. My favorite is William-"  
  
"Shakespeare!" Seamus yelled aloud causing the whole class to look towards them. "Sorry." He said to them. "Anyways, I love William Shakespeare. A lot of guys back home think I'm gay because I do. His plays are bloody wicked though."  
  
"No way. I love him. He's a total genius." Riley said smiling. "So, does this mean you like to read?"  
  
"Reading is the best. I really like the Series of Unfortunate Events and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy." Seamus replied.  
  
"No way! I think those are awesome!" Riley said. "I also like books by Michael Connelly."  
  
"Yeah! He's the one that writes all those mystery books!" Seamus said nodding his head.  
  
"Yeah. I've read all his novels. Right now I'm on City Of Bones. It just came out. I have it upstairs in my dormitory." Riley said pointed towards to ceiling.  
  
"Wicked! Can I read it?" Seamus asked.  
  
"Sure. But, after I'm done. Shouldn't take too long. Just as long as these teachers don't pile us with homework." Riley replied.  
  
"Brilliant!" Seamus answered.  
  
At that moment Professor Minogue walked into the room with a large cage in her hand. It was a square cage that was covered in a red clothe. She immediately placed it on an empty desk in front of the class and pulled off its cover. It was an odd looking creature. It looked something like a parrot and a tiger. It had wings; extremely large wings with different colors but it's body was that of a tiger; orange and stripped. Although it wasn't as large as a tiger. It was the size of a kitten. An orange kitten with black striped and colorful wings.  
  
"Wattablinke. It has the wings of a parrot and the body of a small tiger. Although this animal is small its force is power full. It's claws let out deadly venom if they ever scratch you or even touch your skin. Even though you could see its eyes, bright yellow eyes, this animal is born blind. Its sense of smell is stronger though. It's almost as if it can see. Its wings are very powerful and the blood of this creature can be used for a very powerful potions called the Pindlewald Potion." Professor Minogue said giving Riley and Leilani the effect of not seeing their performing arts teacher any time soon. "This creature is a very normal animal for dark sorcerers to keep. The dark Lord Grindlewald carried one of these around with him. It is hard for these creatures to find an owner. They are very decisive in whom they should trust. We will be testing this animal to try and see if it will trust any of you today."  
  
Some of the students smiled and some of them frowned. The class continued with Professor Minogue asking everyone to move the desks aside. The Wattablinke would need as much space as it could get. Everyone would approach it and see if it blinked its eyes to you. This was a mark of it gaining your trust. Since it was blind the mark of the wattablinke blinking its eyes was a sign that it trusted you.  
  
"I will call out a name. Randomly choosing one of you to approach this creature." Professor Minogue announced. "Riley-Mae Nyxinn will be our first victim." Professor Minogue looked at her. Riley looked back but she couldn't find her performing arts teacher anywhere.  
  
"Oh no! Scary wattablinke!" a Slytherin girl chanted from behind Draco Malfoy.  
  
"Try not to blink." Minogue warned. 


	12. 11 Flobberworms and Sugar Quills

All Riley could get out was "Er." She really didn't know what it meant when Minogue said, "Try not to blink." What did it matter? The wattablinke couldn't see anyways. So, she just walked up to the wattablinke and kneeled down in front of it. It looked (At least it looked like it was looking at her.) at her with bright yellow eyes. It was hard to believe that this creature could be gentle once it gained your trust. She looked at its great yellow eyes and just stared. It was pretty easy not to blink since she was so used to playing the Staring Game with Becky who was an expert at it. She saw its nose start to wriggle and twitched a bit. Then suddenly, it spread its wings and purred softly.  
  
"Well done Ms. Nyxinn." Minogue proclaimed and the class clapped loudly. "You have gained its trust."  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"That was an extremely weird class." Tara said trying to say anything and everything negative about it since she couldn't get the wattablinkes' trust.  
  
"I thought it was pretty cool." Jhene said. She hadn't gotten its trust either but she wasn't as disappointed.  
  
Actually, the only other person who accomplished the task was Seamus and Ron.  
  
"Alright there, Riley?" Seamus asked from Ron's left. Ron was walking down the corridors next to Riley.  
  
"Huh?" Riley said looking up from her book cover, which was in her arms. "I'm fine, thanks."  
  
Ron and Seamus gave each other odd looks.  
  
The whole gang of friends were heading for their Herbology class out by the greenhouses. They had to walk across the school grounds to get there, which was a good walk since even though it was hot there was plenty of fresh air blowing through their hair.  
  
Once they reached the greenhouse they all took out their gloves from inside their bags and laid them on top of the working table in front of them. This is Riley shared a table with Leilani and Seamus since the table were for 4 people. Ron shared a table with Harry, Tara, and, unfortunately, Hermione. And Jhene and Becky were with two Gryffindor boys named Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom.  
  
All the students who were busy talking to each other turned around as they faced their Herbology teacher, a small, stout middle-ages woman, named Professor Sprout.  
  
"Good morning students!" she greeted in a happy-go-lucky voice.  
  
"Good morning Mrs. Sprout!" The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws answered.  
  
"Today we will be feeding flobberworms juice to our mandrakes' soil. Each table will be given a container full of flobberworms and 4 mandrake pots. You will cut you flobberworms in half and squeeze them to take out their juice. Make sure you pour their juice into these measuring cups. Once you have 5 ounces of juice pour it into the soil and start again. It is easier for the mandrakes to drink up the juice if it is given in large amounts." Professor Sprout explained. "Now, make sure when you cut the flobberworms you don't bang hard on the table or do anything to make it shake. It could disturb the flobberworms. BUT, make sure you don't cut yourself. Safety first."  
  
The class started on their assignments and a number of "EW!"s were heard when they first cut open a flobberworms. Its insides were made mostly of juice and it was a green, flowing liquid.  
  
"This is disgusting!" Leilani shrieked. "But cool at the same time." And she smiled.  
  
"This is better than our science classes with Ms. Cameron." Riley said. "But, you do miss those."  
  
"Don't worry Ri." Leilani replied. "Will I be saying that line to you all year long?"  
  
"I hope not." Riley said.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"This is turning out pretty good!" Riley said to her friends as she ate a spoonful of mashed potatoes. "The food too!"  
  
"Yeah. But, Binns' class is dead. I sucked on a WHOLE box of sugar quills not even half way through." Leilani said sarcastically; although the part about the whole box of sugar quills wasn't a lie. "Man, I only have one box left. I bet I'll use it by tomorrow in his class again."  
  
"Don't worry. Fred and George are in their 3rd year now. They're allowed to go down to Hogsmead." Ron said.  
  
"What's Hogsmead?" Jhene asked.  
  
"It's a wizarding village. 3rd years and up are allowed to go there on a days field trip once and awhile." Ron explained.  
  
"Cool! So, how does that help me in my need for more sugar quills?" Leilani asked.  
  
"Honeydukes." Ron said simply.  
  
"Honeydukes?" Tara questioned?  
  
"It's a candy shop. It has massive amounts of different candies and everything." Ron replied.  
  
"Awesome!" Becky said once she heard the word 'candy'.  
  
"Too bad we can't go until 3rd year." Ron complained.  
  
"Sucks." Seamus continued.  
  
"Does anyone know what the wizarding sport is?" Harry asked randomly changing the subject.  
  
"Quidditch." Seamus replied.  
  
"It's a sport that we play on broomsticks. There's 4 balls, 7 players, -" Ron started. "Ask Wood. He knows. He's the Quidditch captain."  
  
"Who's Wood?" Harry asked.  
  
"He's over there." Ron said pointing towards a bunch of 5th years. "He's the one with the short brown hair. WOOD!"  
  
Wood turned around.  
  
"That's him Harry." Ron told Harry.  
  
"What Ron?!" Wood called from the other end of the hall.  
  
"Never mind!" Ron called.  
  
"Ugh!" Wood groaned.  
  
"I'm going to head up to my dormitory really quick. I need to drop off these books and then head for Charms class." Riley said.  
  
"Why didn't I think of that?" Ron complained.  
  
"Think of what?" Riley asked.  
  
"Just bringing my first set of books and then getting my second set later."  
  
"It's common sense." Leilani said grabbing hers to go with Riley.  
  
"Yeah Ron. Even we thought of that." Harry said as Seamus stood up next to him carrying his first set of books.  
  
"Ugh!" Ron groaned. "I guess I'll just drop off my first set then. Since I have nothing better to do." 


	13. 12 Quidditch and Football

It was about 1 month into the school year and Riley had avoided getting detention, making a fool of herself in front of the whole school, or getting on the bad side of any of the teachers; she even managed to get through Snape who was hard to impress if your weren't a Slytherin. She kept in touch with all her friends and family back home and returned their mail right when she got them. It was a Saturday morning and by then all the students were accustomed to seeing Riley jog around the school grounds twice every morning. It was to bad that Discmans wouldn't work on Hogwarts grounds. She usually did her morning jog listening to music on it. But, she was quite happy with the sound of the wing whistling through her ears and the calm lake water rippling as the giant squid floated close to the top of the lake.  
  
Riley jogged by Hagrid's cabin and waved to him and Fang. They waved back and Hagrid smiled at her happily. Riley had made good friends with Hagrid when Harry introduced her to him. He's been very good company for tea every now and then. Riley went down the grounds a little before she turned around to head back up for the school. Once she got to the portrait of the Fat Lady she immediately said the password in order to sit down somewhere quickly.  
  
"Cat whisker." Riley panted the new password out.  
  
"You are looking quite drenched young lady." The Fat Lady said, as she swung open. Riley walked into the common room and plopped herself and her sports gear and Nikes on a sofa next to the fireplace that wasn't letting out any fire at the moment, which was a good thing. From the couch beside her Seamus said, ---  
  
"What? Out for another jog?" Seamus asked even though he knew the answer quite well.  
  
"Petrificus merina!" Riley said as she grabbed his wand and pointed it to the table in front of them. A glass of ice water suddenly appeared and she drank it in one gulp.  
  
"Are you okay Ri?" Leilani asked from another couch.  
  
"Fine. Just tired." Riley panted. "I'm going to go and take a shower."  
  
"Alright. We're all going to go and head for the Quidditch pitch in about 30 minutes so hurry up. Great news!" Leilani replied.  
  
"What is it?" Riley asked.  
  
"Harry got chosen for Gryffindor teams Seeker in Quidditch! Leilani announced.  
  
"Seeker?" Riley questioned.  
  
"Wood explained it to us when you were gone. You missed out on a lot. I'll tell you on our way over, all right? Now go take a shower. You look exhausted." Leilani commanded.  
  
"Fine." Riley said and she turned around to head upstairs for the dormitories. She grabbed some clothes that a lot of the kids thought were "Wicked!" since they'd never seen the kind of clothes New Yorkers wear, and headed for the girls' bathroom.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"That's awesome!" Riley said as Harry flew by on his new Nimbus 2000 practicing for Quidditch.  
  
"Isn't it?" Leilani replied. "At least you didn't have to ask how the game worked."  
  
"I have an eye for noticing how it's done." Riley said still transfixed on Harry zooming around smoothly on his broom.  
  
"Well, I think Riley's found a new sport." Leilani said to Tara, Jhene, Becky, Ron, and Seamus. "Volleyball, basketball, and softball are going to have to wait until summertime."  
  
"Volleyball?" Ron questioned. "Basketball? Softball?"  
  
"They're Muggle games Ron." Seamus answered.  
  
"Don't explain, please." Ron pleaded.  
  
"Sure." Seamus answered.  
  
"I want to play on the team." Riley said.  
  
"You can't. 1st years aren't allowed to." Tara replied.  
  
"Then how come Harry gets to?" Riley complained.  
  
"I don't know. It's his fault. He's the one who got in trouble during Flying Lessons yesterday and got himself the job." Becky explained.  
  
"Maybe I should fly after that git Malfoy on a broom during Flying Lessons on Monday." And Riley started to tilt her head to the sky looking like her was thinking about the subject.  
  
"You best not Riley-Mae." Leilani said sternly.  
  
"Alright. I won't." Riley said giving up.  
  
The group stayed and watched the practice and walked back to the castle with an exhausted Harry.  
  
"See you girls later." Ron said and he, Seamus, and Harry walked up to the boys' dormitories.  
  
"Bye!" Leilani said and she headed up the stairs after the friends.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"You guys could just give her a break you know." Riley told Ron, Harry, and Seamus looking at them nastily.  
  
They just had a conversation about Hermione Granger. The girls were completely fine with hanging out with her but the guys didn't seem to interested. Riley was a little upset thinking that they had something against females forgetting that Ron, Harry, and Seamus were getting extremely close with about 5 of them.  
  
"She's a teachers' pet!" Seamus complained.  
  
"I really don't mind either. But, she sort of will get annoying, don't you think?" Harry said.  
  
"I'm not going to say one word to her. Nope. You can't make me." Ron said confidently.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"Hi Hermione." Ron said lowly. Riley smiled at him and nudged his side thankfully.  
  
"Hello." Hermione replied.  
  
"Hermione, if you don't mind me saying, you haven't really hung out socially with anyone but that Neville Longbottom. So, we were all wondering if you'd like to come and hang around with us?" Riley asked nicely.  
  
"Sure!" Hermione said hopefully. "No offense to Neville. He's a pretty good guy. But, he's a bit annoying really after awhile. Goes on and on about his gran!"  
  
"Well, I don't think we'll annoy you. At least if you ever get annoyed of one of us you always another 7 people to choose from." Riley said turning around to all her friends.  
  
"Thanks for even noticing that I was alone Riley. I really appreciate it." Hermione said sort of nervously.  
  
"No problem. I just don't like to see people alone. It makes me feel really bad. But, even with that, I have full confidence that you would of had done fine even if I didn't notice." Riley said kindly.  
  
"Thanks." Hermione said not able to find better words.  
  
"Well, we're all going to play tackle football out on the school grounds. I brought my ball with me so we could play. Want to join us?" Riley offered.  
  
"Sure! I love football! Back home no one likes to play with me though." Hermione said sadly.  
  
"Don't worry. We will." Riley said. You might need a rubber band or something though. Your hair might get in the way." And Riley ran upstairs to go and get some extras for Hermione. "Here." She said holding out two rubber bands in her hand.  
  
"Why are there 2?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, I was going to out your hair up in a ponytail but thought that since it's sort of bushy it would get in your face anyways. So I brought another one to put in a bun. You don't mind me doing do you?" Riley asked.  
  
"No problem. Just don't pull my hair. I was never good with hair." Hermione said.  
  
"Alright. Turn around. Ah crud! Hold on. Riley pulled out her wand from her sports bag (It wouldn't fit in her back pocket.) and pointed it towards the stairs going up to the girls' dormitories. "Accio brush!" and her brush came whooshing down into her hand in a flash. She brushed Hermione's bushy hair back and was surprised to feel that even though it was bushy it was untangled. She tied her hair in a neat ponytail and then brushed the loose hair. It was a little tangled from being pushed back but other than that it was all right. Then she twisted it around the base of the ponytail and tied the rubber band around it. "There."  
  
Hermione turned around revealing her face to everyone. They all looked stunned.  
  
"What? Does it look bad?" Hermione asked patting the top of her head with her hand.  
  
"Well, it doesn't look bad." Ron said first.  
  
Everyone turned to look at him.  
  
"What? It doesn't." Ron said looking around at everyone with his eyes wide open. "Let's just go and play football. I don't even know how to play yet." And he turned around and headed for the portrait of the Fat Lady. Harry and Seamus shrugged being guys and trying not to believe what just happened. Tara, Jhene, and Becky followed them whispering their way out and Riley and Leilani smiled at each other and they walked out with Hermione.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"That was fun." Hermione said smiling as they all walked into the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Exhausting." Ron said as he sat down on a chair.  
  
Everyone in the common room turned around as the group entered making a very loud entrance. Most of their eyes were fixed on Riley who was twirling the football around in the air casually not knowing everyone was watching her.  
  
"I'm going to go upstairs and take a shower. Bye!" Riley said to the rest of them.  
  
"Bye Ri!" Seamus said.  
  
"You called me Ri." Riley said turning around at the foot of the stairs.  
  
"So." Seamus said. Riley shook her head.  
  
"Hey Riley! What's that?" Lee Jordan a 3rd year and friend of Fred and George asked from across the room.  
  
Riley looked at him and then turned to Leilani.  
  
"You better not." Leilani commanded getting the picture.  
  
"Catch!" Riley said as she threw the ball across the room to Leilani who caught it having no other choice. "Ask Leilani."  
  
Lee Jordan turned around to Leilani. Riley giggled.  
  
"I'll get you Ri!"  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"So, is Friday night okay? 8:00 on the Astronomy Tower roof?" Malfoy's voice came through Riley's ears in horror. She was just walking down to the Gryffindor common room early for dinner and still wondering where Tara was. She knew she was about to find out.  
  
"Sure. I don't know how I'll get there but I'll try somehow." Tara's voice answered. Riley's worst fears of her friends answer had come true.  
  
"What're you doing Tara?" Riley asked herself.  
  
"I don't think you're going to tell your friends, are you?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"Well, it's not easy keeping something from them. A whole 4 days not telling them is going to be hard. But, I'll try. For you." Tara replied.  
  
"For you." Riley mimicked to herself. "I've never heard Tara talk like this."  
  
"Alright. I have to go. I'll see you in Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow." Malfoy said and Riley heard his fancy shoes click away down the hall.  
  
She walked casually around the corner startling Tara.  
  
"Riley!"  
  
"Where have you been, Tara?" Riley asked suspiciously. 


	14. 13 Best Friend Forever

"What was all that about?" Riley asked looking at Tara with questioning eyes.  
  
"He. Well, we were just scheduling an appointment to study together." Tara said in a trying-to-be-casual voice.  
  
"Right. Tara, I'm not that thick. You guys just scheduled a date!" Riley said unable to control herself. She just noticed that she's been getting very short tempered nowadays.  
  
"Alright Ri!" Tara yelled. "It was date! We scheduled a date! Happy?! I really like him, okay? Well, not really. I just like him. He's not as snotty to me as he is to you guys. I know he's conceited but really he's a good guy."  
  
Riley felt bad about pushing her friend to the limit. Her and Tara were best friend and even though they weren't as close as she was with Leilani they were still best friends. She knew that Tara had to make her own decisions it was just killing her that her decisions included Malfoy.  
  
"Alright Tara." Riley said finally.  
  
"What? What do you mean 'Alright Tara.'?" Tara asked oddly.  
  
"It's your decision. I won't say anything to the girls if you don't want me to." Riley said unable to do anything else about it. Her conscience was telling her that this was the only way.  
  
"Thanks." Tara said plainly. She walked up to her best friend and hugged her. "You always were the most understanding next to Becky."  
  
"Next to Becky?" Riley asked shoving Tara away quizzically.  
  
"Well, she is more understanding than you." Tara said honestly.  
  
"True." Riley agreed. "Sorry.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
They walked back to the common room together. The whole way Tara was trying to explain to Riley that Malfoy was a good guy.  
  
"I'll never believe you until he proves it to me." Riley said confidently. 


	15. 14 The Theme Is Mugglewear

Riley never thought that Tara would remember what she said about 2 weeks ago in the corridor where she caught her and Malfoy scheduling a date. Their date went on "fine" Tara told them but Riley refused to know exactly what happened. All she knew was that they had dinner on the Astronomy Tower roof with a meal that Malfoy got out of nowhere. The second part Riley couldn't even bear to believe: Malfoy took her on a broom ride above the Hogwarts grounds.  
  
"This is why I don't want to know the details. Just the main events." Riley told them when Leilani, Jhene, and Becky all begged to tell her.  
  
"Please!" Becky begged.  
  
"No." Riley replied back and that was it. There was no telling her the story because it was sure as hell she wouldn't listen to one word more or less one syllable of it.  
  
~~~***~~~  
  
"So guess what?!" Leilani said running into the girls' dormitory and startling Riley, Tara, Jhene, and Becky.  
  
"What's up Lei?" Riley asked calmly despite the fact that Leilani's entrance caused her to run a mark down her Transfiguration essay. She supposed she could do a charm on it later.  
  
"I was just at Dumbledore's office and I got him to let the school have a dance. I'm in charge of the dance committee." Leilani panted, her hands on her knees.  
  
"Lei, that's something we do at Jefferson. Not here at Hogwarts. I bet these kids don't even know how to dance." Tara complained in grief.  
  
"Yeah. Even though I completely agree with Tara you have to admit you wouldn't want these kids to think that the way Julienne dances is the right way. That'll make them a laughing stock if they ever go to a New York dance." Riley said smiling.  
  
"Ha! Ha! That's so true. Julienne dances like she thinks she knows." Jhene laughed.  
  
"But watch her try and get all the attention at the dance." Becky said.  
  
"Whatever you guys. Can you all please just be in the committee with me?" Leilani begged.  
  
Riley immediately answered, "Sure." She knew Leilani would get really mad if she didn't and she would probably assign her to do decorations and stuff which she loved doing.  
  
"Alright." Tara said.  
  
"Yeah. Sure."  
  
"I'm in."  
  
"Yes!" Leilani celebrated for a brief second. "Riley, you're on decorations, ("Yes!" Riley said to herself.) Becky, you could set the punch table, finger foods, all that." Leilani thought for a moment and then finally decided what Jhene could do. "Jhene, you and Tara set up anything that Riley needs help on."  
  
"What?"  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Well, I bet she has a lot of helium filled balloons for you guys to blow up." Leilani said knowing that they loved the way their voices squeaked when they sucked in the helium.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"But, how are we going to get helium tanks over here?" Tara asked.  
  
"No worries. Dumbledore already sent a letter to a wizarding party supply place. They have helium tanks that they could send over." Leilani said confidently.  
  
"So where's the dance going to be?" Becky asked.  
  
"In the Great Hall. Since the dance isn't till Friday we have 5 days to prepare. Everything has to go on in this dormitory though. All the stuff will be moved to the Great Hall on Friday night for the dance." Leilani explained.  
  
"And what's our theme?" Riley questioned.  
  
"Muggle-wear!" Leilani announced.  
  
"Let's see the look on Malfoy's face." Jhene said.  
  
"No doubt." Riley continued.  
  
Tara groaned.  
  
"Exactly how are all of these people going to know what Muggle-wear is? Except the Muggles that is."  
  
"We'll have it ready for them." Leilani said looking over at Riley.  
  
"What? NO! Lei! You can't!" Riley said aloud.  
  
"Come on! When was the last time your mom ignored an order this big? And she never even asks to pay! She loves designing clothes so much she won't ask for money for an order this big!" Leilani complained.  
  
Riley grunted and then sighed. "Alright. I'll send her mail."  
  
"Thanks Ri!"  
  
"You better move the date to next Friday then. My mom won't have that many done by this Friday." Riley said confidently.  
  
"Alright. I'll see what I can do." Leilani said. "Now, our dates!"  
  
"DATES?" they all yelled. 


End file.
